This invention relates to organosilicone fine particles, method of producing same, and cosmetics, resin compositions and development toners containing same. Fine particles of various substances have been in use in many applications. Their shapes are mostly indefinite, and fine particles of each type have been playing their suitable roles as an industrial material. In recent years, however, as the characteristics required of them in various applications become highly advanced, there are beginning to appear many situations where fine particles with controlled shapes are desired. As examples, improvements in the optical characteristics in the field of display devices and optical diffusers, miniaturization in size in the field of electronic components, improvements in usability and feeling in the field of cosmetics, and improvements in maintenance of fluidity related to the development characteristics of toners may be considered. This invention relates to organosilicone fine particles which can respond to such highly advanced requirements imposed on fine particles and more particularly to organosilicone fine particles having a plurality of faces having indefinite shapes and a network of convex parts surrounding the indefinitely shaped faces and being spherically shaped as a whole.
There have been many proposed ideas regarding both inorganic and organic fine particles with controlled shapes. As for organic fine particles, Japanese Patent Publications Tokkai 09-103804 and 11-292907, for example, considered polystyrene fine particles, Japanese Patent Publication Tokkai 11-116649, for example, considered polyurethane fine particles, Japanese Patent Publication Tokkai 11-140181, for example, considered polyimide fine particles, and Japanese Patent Publication Tokkai 61-159427, for example, considered organosilicone fine particles. Since almost all of these prior art organic fine particles are spherical or nearly spherical, there are in recent years an increasing number of situations wherein these prior fine particles cannot respond to the highly advanced requirements imposed upon them for purposes of use. In view of the above, as examples of organic fine particles with modified shapes, Japanese Patent Publication Tokkai 07-157672, for example, proposed hollow organic fine particles having large protrusions and indentations, Japanese Patent Publication Tokkai 2000-191788, for example, proposed organic fine particles having a plurality of small indentations on the surface, Japanese Patent Publication Tokkai 2003-171465, for example, proposed organic fine particles in shape of a rugby ball, and Japanese Patent Publication Tokkai 2003-128788, for example, proposed semispherical organic fine particles. Even such prior art organic fine particles with modified shapes have problems of not being able to fully respond to the highly advanced requirements of recent years imposed on them for purposes of use.